Greetings travel experts,
I am in the planning stage of a 5 week trip to Europe next September. We are dividing our time equally between Germany and Italy.
We will start our trip in Germany and plan to travel by train to Venice to start the Italy portion of the trip. It looks like we have the option of leaving from Salzburg or from Munich. We will be visiting both cities so either one is fine. I have looked at the DB site and it looks like there are trains from Munich that are direct and do not require a transfer. I kinda like that idea since some of the connections on the trains from Salzburg are pretty tight. I would be willing to chance the tight connection, though, if the Salzburg route is a more scenic route. I don't want to miss out on the view! Is one route better than the other, for any reason?
Posted by
Green Bay
21107 posts
The only direct train from Salzburg is a night train leaving at 1:34 am, although you can board it at midnight because it sits in the station for 1 1/2 hours. There are only 2 other single connection all rail times to Venice during the day. The first has a 7 minute connect time in Villach, the second has 31 minutes.
From Munich there is just one day time direct train. Both routes go through the Alps, and I'd be hard pressed to say one is more scenic than the other.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19263 posts
I see one daytime all-rail connection from Salzburg to Venice with a connection in Villach. The other all rail connection is via Innsbruck to catch the EC that goes from Munich directly to Venice. There are also two trains per day to Villach that connect to an IC bus to Venice.
Most days there are five one change, all-rail connections from Munich to Venice. One (11:38) is direct to Venice; the other four require a change to an Italian train in Verona. The last four of those connections have advance purchase Savings Fare tickets available.
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8312 posts
They all go through the Brenner Pass--just south of Innsbruck.
Which every way you decide to go, a day trip is preferable. The scenery in Tirol and Northern Italy is just breathtaking.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19263 posts
The trains that go through Villach between Salzburg and Venice DO NOT go over Brenner Pass.
Posted by
OP
St. Louis, Mo
9 posts
Thank you all for your responses. Sounds like I won't have to sacrifice a beautiful trip just to avoid the stress of tight transfers.
Munich to Venice it is! Unless I decide to go to Lake Como first….Well, that's a question for another post. Again, many thanks.